Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

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South Coast Royal
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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by South Coast Royal » 07 Dec 2022 17:26

In a way I am not so concerned about Mbappe because at least Walker has some pace to keep up with him and presumably a defensive midfielder would double up on him and preparation will no doubt focus on how to deal with him.

What does concern me is Dembele on Shaw in that Shaw has no pace when defending and in fact is not much of a defender at all-good on the ball going forward but tackling and defensive positioning is poor.

As others have said, with our weaknesses being at the back it feels kind of obvious that we should focus much more on what our attacking players can do.
Neither Saka nor Foden offer much help defensively but are reasonably quick going forward so let them focus on their forward play.

A game to look forward to after what will be a bit of a struggle for us v Coventry and hopefully traffic will not be too bad for getting back home for kick-off.
I might even break the habit of a lifetime and leave Reading's game a few minutes early.

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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by Mr Angry » 07 Dec 2022 17:38

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6ft Kerplunk Its a bit of a free hit against France for the team, lose and its kind of expected based on current form\ranking but that should hopefully give us a bit of freedom to go for it. I'd be surprised if Southgate carried on after this World Cup anyway (unless we win it) so he may feel going out in a blaze of glory is worth the risk and would certainly surprise France.


Yeah agree with that, I think most English fans would accept losing to France, providing it's not an absolute drubbing like 3-0, but I don't think it will be. If we turn them over, we've done better than expected but knowing many English fans, there would be a level of expectation for us to suddenly win the tournament then.


I just want us to select a team and play in a style that shows real intent - and start off the game that way rather than the cautious beginnings we have seen of late.

We CAN score more goals than them if we play on the front foot, utilising our stengths. If we sit back and try to nullify France (which has been Southgate's failing in the past) it's very unlikely to work. Our defence is not good enough to soak up French pressure for extended periods.

Focus on our own strengths, not theirs.

For sure, we need a plan for handling Mbappe but not to the extent that we can't play our own game.


+1

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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by YorkshireRoyal99 » 08 Dec 2022 10:24

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6ft Kerplunk Its a bit of a free hit against France for the team, lose and its kind of expected based on current form\ranking but that should hopefully give us a bit of freedom to go for it. I'd be surprised if Southgate carried on after this World Cup anyway (unless we win it) so he may feel going out in a blaze of glory is worth the risk and would certainly surprise France.


Yeah agree with that, I think most English fans would accept losing to France, providing it's not an absolute drubbing like 3-0, but I don't think it will be. If we turn them over, we've done better than expected but knowing many English fans, there would be a level of expectation for us to suddenly win the tournament then.


I just want us to select a team and play in a style that shows real intent - and start off the game that way rather than the cautious beginnings we have seen of late.

We CAN score more goals than them if we play on the front foot, utilising our stengths. If we sit back and try to nullify France (which has been Southgate's failing in the past) it's very unlikely to work. Our defence is not good enough to soak up French pressure for extended periods.

Focus on our own strengths, not theirs.

For sure, we need a plan for handling Mbappe but not to the extent that we can't play our own game.


Yeah, I don't disagree.

We've got enough in our attack to cause their defence plenty of problems, likewise they do with us. If we sit off them and allow them to freely enter our half without much pressure, I think we will be in for a hard time as I don't think our defence, or even collectively, we have enough about us to shut them out.

But the likes of Foden, Saka, Rashford etc can cause their full backs problems and I don't think their midfield would fancy having to deal with Kane dropping in.

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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by Loafer » 08 Dec 2022 10:41

I'm starting to realise that we can very easily beat France

Is mbappe REALLY that good? I'm sure we can stop him

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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by Winston Biscuit » 08 Dec 2022 10:47

Mbappe is extremely good. But I think we need to be more positive and look to cause France some problems, pushing them back towards their own goal, rather than just focusing on stopping the boy Kylian


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genome
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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by genome » 08 Dec 2022 11:04

Agreed really. People seem to be forgetting England have a world class player (or maybe two) themselves

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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by Franchise FC » 08 Dec 2022 11:23

If I were a French supporter I'd probably be going down the route of - "Oh no, Kane hasn't really turned up yet. Bet he starts firing properly against us"

Or is it just the England fans that are so pessimistic ?

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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by Sutekh » 08 Dec 2022 14:14

Franchise FC If I were a French supporter I'd probably be going down the route of - "Oh no, Kane hasn't really turned up yet. Bet he starts firing properly against us"

Or is it just the England fans that are so pessimistic ?



Probably but then tournament after tournament of similar let downs and usually in the same old manner against the first decent team England run into conditions bleakness in us and so we expect sod all.

Really what we need on Saturday is a positive line up playing to the strengths of the squad not something that basically looks to park a proverbial bus and contain France while looking for an occasional breakaway. Yes England might still lose playing to ther former but at least you’d feel better that they had a go rather than a limp excuse like they delivered v Croatia and Italy that leaves us all wondering “if only”.

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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by South Coast Royal » 08 Dec 2022 14:50

genome Agreed really. People seem to be forgetting England have a world class player (or maybe two) themselves


Just out of interest who are they?
Alexander-Arnold doesn't get picked so he doesn't count. :wink:


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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by YorkshireRoyal99 » 08 Dec 2022 15:19

South Coast Royal
genome Agreed really. People seem to be forgetting England have a world class player (or maybe two) themselves


Just out of interest who are they?
Alexander-Arnold doesn't get picked so he doesn't count. :wink:


For me, I'd say Kane, Bellingham and Foden. I'd put them under the title of, "these are some of the best players in Europe" rather than "World Class" but it depends what terminology you'd use.

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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by Orion1871 » 08 Dec 2022 15:27

South Coast Royal
genome Agreed really. People seem to be forgetting England have a world class player (or maybe two) themselves


Just out of interest who are they?
Alexander-Arnold doesn't get picked so he doesn't count. :wink:


Much to the disappointment of every left winger in the competition.

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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by genome » 08 Dec 2022 15:33

South Coast Royal
genome Agreed really. People seem to be forgetting England have a world class player (or maybe two) themselves


Just out of interest who are they?
Alexander-Arnold doesn't get picked so he doesn't count. :wink:


Kane and (in the future) Bellingham

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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by Franchise FC » 08 Dec 2022 16:02

genome
South Coast Royal
genome Agreed really. People seem to be forgetting England have a world class player (or maybe two) themselves


Just out of interest who are they?
Alexander-Arnold doesn't get picked so he doesn't count. :wink:


Kane and (in the future) Bellingham

Not too distant future at this rate


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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by South Coast Royal » 08 Dec 2022 16:06

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Just out of interest who are they?
Alexander-Arnold doesn't get picked so he doesn't count. :wink:


Kane and (in the future) Bellingham

Not too distant future at this rate


Yeah, it's going to be good for Liverpool to have a world class keeper, a world class central defender, a world class winger/striker and a world class midfielder in time for next season.

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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by Sutekh » 08 Dec 2022 16:53

South Coast Royal
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genome
Kane and (in the future) Bellingham

Not too distant future at this rate


Yeah, it's going to be good for Liverpool to have a world class keeper, a world class central defender, a world class winger/striker and a world class midfielder in time for next season.


Salah and Van Dijk are both getting old and Liverpool need to be looking at recruiting/finding their replacements in the next year, I would say, so that they can be seamlessly replaced. No wonder they’re looking for more investment or to sell.

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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by 6ft Kerplunk » 08 Dec 2022 17:17

What if the world class keeper, central defender and winger/striker all decide they want to leave to get Champions League football next season?

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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by South Coast Royal » 08 Dec 2022 17:54

6ft Kerplunk What if the world class keeper, central defender and winger/striker all decide they want to leave to get Champions League football next season?


Now that could be a problem but I thought the Premier League still had over 63% of the season left and Liverpool are 7 points off 4th place with a game in hand.
Bookies make them 4/7 for a top four finish so I would suggest that they are still very much fancied for top 4 at the very least.

I would suggest that only a brave ( or rather foolish) person might think that those players would need to go elsewhere to get Champs League football next season based on league positions at this still rather early stage of the season.
Positions are not decided in mid- November when these teams last played (I am pleased to say).

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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by South Coast Royal » 08 Dec 2022 18:01

Sutekh
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Yeah, it's going to be good for Liverpool to have a world class keeper, a world class central defender, a world class winger/striker and a world class midfielder in time for next season.


Salah and Van Dijk are both getting old and Liverpool need to be looking at recruiting/finding their replacements in the next year, I would say, so that they can be seamlessly replaced. No wonder they’re looking for more investment or to sell.


If they are "getting old" then what about Messi, Ronaldo, Thiago Silva, Pepe etc. who are about to appear in the later stages of the world cup and are many years older.
Should Spurs be looking to replace Harry Kane who is all of one year younger than Salah or Newcastle doing the same regarding Callum Wilson who is months older than Mo?

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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by Green » 08 Dec 2022 21:26

Winston Biscuit have the finals tended to be the best 2 teams? certain a France Vs Brazil final would feel that way

Get out :arrow:

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Re: Qatar Hero - The World Cup 2022 thread

by YorkshireRoyal99 » 09 Dec 2022 09:05

Sutekh
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Franchise FC Not too distant future at this rate


Yeah, it's going to be good for Liverpool to have a world class keeper, a world class central defender, a world class winger/striker and a world class midfielder in time for next season.


Salah and Van Dijk are both getting old and Liverpool need to be looking at recruiting/finding their replacements in the next year, I would say, so that they can be seamlessly replaced. No wonder they’re looking for more investment or to sell.


It depends how long these players can last for at the top of the game really. Van Djik might have had that cut short a year or two with his knee injury and Salah might need to change his role, similar to Ronaldo, in order to stay at the top of the game. When I say "similar to Ronaldo", I mean change position from wide player to CF, rather than Ronaldo's style of play.

Jota, Diaz and Nunez are coming through, if they can keep the former fit, so you're potentially only looking at filling in squad areas for competition really. Elliot can play in the front 3 as well as they've already got 4 options there before they even think about Salah or Firmino moving on as they get older. I think they'll be fine in those areas.

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